Embrace Your Inner Creep

There are two kinds of people in this world: people who like to people watch and liars. Let's admit it, everyone likes to spy on other people. Deep down in side all of us want to be Sherlock Holmes, or maybe Harriet the spy. Don't lie, you know it is true. Maybe not everyone is as in tune with their inner creep as I am, but there is nothing I love more than sitting in a coffee shop, sipping my iced coffee with light ice and whole milk, and watching the people around me. As with any hobby, this activity takes practice, skill, and refinement. You must be mindful to watch discreetly–openly stare at people and they will get uncomfortable. Start talking to yourself about the people and they will think you are crazy. Stay still for too long and people will think you are a statue, or that you are dead. In order to become a master of this art you must look casual, for example, you could keep a book open in front of you and pretend to be reading. You must be discreet, a great way to do so is by wearing sunglasses (but only if you are outside because they only people who wear sunglasses inside are creepy old men, blind people, and Anna Wintour–or Meryl Streep playing a character who is supposed to be Anna Wintour). You must be good at improv, you must be quick on your feet if something should happen such as you accidentally make eye contact with the person you have been staring at for five minutes. Which just happened to me. But don't worry, I pretended to be reading the sign behind him.

There are many reasons for taking up the hobby of professional people watching. 

1) you can learn all sorts of things about people by simply watching them. This is especially handy if you are a writer or actor because it is like doing research, only fun and you don't have to go to the library.

2) People are funny 

3) You realize that you are not the only idiot in the world. It is so nice to know that I'm not the only one who occasionally spills water all down their front because they missed their mouth–or in my case because my lips are too big to handle sometimes.

4) you can judge people. But this is NOT a good reason. Being judgmental is not a good character trait and should thus be dispelled. Nevertheless...it can be fun...

and my personal favorite reason

5) You get to see the fashions of everyday life of everyday people. It is like watching a fashion show minus the paparazzi, annoyingly loud music, and depressingly skinny models.

Obviously I like to see what other people wear. I like clothes. Of course I like clothes, otherwise I wouldn't have this blog and you wouldn't be reading about my addiction to people watching. You see such interesting styles on other people. Sometimes I get fabulous ideas of what to wear from seeing what other people are wearing. Sometimes I get fabulous ideas of what not to wear.

If there was a typographer in my head reporting what I am thinking at this very moment while sitting in Peets looking around at the other tables it would go something like this:

"ooo that is so cute! I want that hat. I wonder where she got it...uh oh RBO alert RBO alert (RBO=really bad outfit) mmmm he is super cute. Why don't all guys dress well? How interesting...I never thought to pair a sweater with a leather jacket. I should try that. Although it is a little too hot at the moment. Her shoes are from J. Crew. I think I have seen that skirt before...oh that's because I own it! I have to pee..."

Watching what other people wear is essential to anyone in fashion. The whole fashion industry is a "trickle up" model. Designers look at what the "avant garde" people (essentially hipsters...) on the street are wearing, interpret it, and release their interpretations which are then sold at high prices, then middle prices, then end up in the sale bucket. So if designers are doing it, why don't we?

Today I am wearing an outfit that was inspired by two lovely German girls I met at the Ferry Building in SF on Monday. 

Vanessa and Pelan from Hamburg, Germany.
Wearing key pieces from Zara and H&M and a hat from Goorin Bros

Once you come to terms with your inner creep, you can become confident enough to do stuff like take pictures of those whom you watch. Usually this is just in the form of "creeper shots"–such as the kind you take on snap chat and then send to your sisters to giggle at–however sometimes it is necessary to let your watching victim know what you are doing and let them give you their consent to having their picture taken. This is sometimes known as being a "street style blogger", but what you really are is just a people watcher who takes pictures of people whose clothes you like and then talk about the clothes. Still just a creep. 

But yeah, anyways, so I met these two girls at the Ferry Building while people watching and people sketching (another form of creeping) and I was quite impressed by their styles. It is sort of a mix of urban chic, minimalism, and bohemian. 

So today while getting dressed I thought about what I liked about their styles and tried to emulate it. I did this by wearing purple tights, boots, and a pencil skirt.

as I am lazy, I didn't want to take a full picture. So here is a nice one of my legs...

Isn't people watching fun?! Endless possibilities arise out of such a simple activity. I mean what could be simpler than sitting and looking at people? You don't even have to do anything like get up and turn on the TV. So easy. And yet, so educational and inspirational. 

Go forth my children and people watch 

xoxo

Justice